Sidney D. Jackman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sidney Drake Jackman
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Sidney Drake Jackman
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| Born | March 7, 1826 or March 21, 1828 Jessamine County, Kentucky |
| Died | June 2, 1886 (aged 60) Hays County, Texas |
| Place of burial |
Kyle Cemetery
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| Allegiance | |
| Service/ |
Confederate Army |
| Years of service | 1861–65 |
| Rank |  Colonel, CSAAssigned to duty as: Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | farmer, legislator, law enforcement |
Sidney Drake Jackman (born March 7, 1826 or March 21, 1828 – died June 2, 1886) was an American farmer, teacher, and soldier. He was an important officer in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was especially known for his actions in the Battle of Westport in 1864.
After the war, Jackman went to Mexico for a short time. He then came back to the United States. He returned to farming, became a state lawmaker, and later worked in law enforcement.
Early Life and Career
Sidney Jackman was born in Jessamine County, Kentucky. This was in the spring of either 1826 or 1828. His parents were Thomas and Mary Drake Jackman. Around 1830, his family moved to Howard County, Missouri. There, Sidney received some basic schooling.
By the late 1840s, he lived in Boone County, Missouri. He worked there as a schoolteacher and also farmed. On February 18, 1849, Jackman married Martha Rachael Slavin. They had two daughters and four sons together.
Soon after getting married, Jackman moved his family to Howard County, Missouri. In 1855, they settled in Papinville, in Bates County. In both places, Jackman continued farming and teaching. In Papinville, he helped organize local militias. These were groups of citizens who helped protect against raids from nearby Kansas. In 1860, he moved his family deeper into Missouri. He hoped to avoid these troubles. When the American Civil War began, Jackman was a captain in the Missouri State Militia.
Civil War Service
In 1861, Jackman decided to support the Confederate side. He joined the Missouri State Guard. In May 1862, he led cavalry (soldiers on horseback) in a raid on Neosho, Missouri. In the summer of 1862, he was allowed to create a cavalry group of Missourians in Arkansas.
It was hard to find enough men, so he got permission to recruit in Missouri. On August 16, Jackman fought in the Battle of Lone Jack. He led troops that helped defeat the Union forces there. His unit was first mounted, but later fought on foot. It officially joined the Confederate Army on August 31 in Arkansas. It was called the 7th, then the 16th Missouri Infantry. On October 25, 1862, Jackman left to recruit more soldiers in Missouri.
Jackman fought mainly in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. This was a specific area west of the Mississippi River. He often used guerrilla tactics. These are small, surprise attacks against Union targets. By late 1862, Jackman had recruited enough troops. These men helped the regular Confederate Army raid into Missouri.
On January 11, 1863, his men entered Union-held Columbia. They hoped to free Confederates from the city's jail, but they failed. On April 23, Jackman and his soldiers captured Union Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Bartholow. They then set up camp at Glasgow. On June 1, Jackman's small group met and defeated some Federal cavalry. He reportedly shot the leader of the Union horsemen.
In May 1864, Jackman and his men went to Arkansas. They were based near the Boston Mountains. By June, he had formed a cavalry group called "Jackman's Missouri Cavalry." This group joined Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby's cavalry division. This division was part of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Army of Missouri. That fall, Jackman's command took part in Price's Raid. This was a large military movement. Jackman led the attack and capture of Union-held Glasgow during the raid's early stages.
The Battle of Westport
Jackman fought in the Battle of Westport. This battle was a Union victory near modern-day Kansas City, Missouri. It took place on October 22 – 23, 1864. It was one of the largest battles of mounted troops in the war. On the first day, Jackman led an attack that made the Union soldiers retreat from their first position. Early on the second day, his group launched a successful attack directly on Westport.
However, the back of the Confederate army broke apart during his attack. Jackman was ordered to stop his attack. He was told to act as a rear guard. This meant he had to protect the retreating Confederate army from the Union pursuit.
Two days later, in Kansas, Jackman's cavalry was ordered to guard Price's supply trains. This was during the Battle of Mine Creek. Because of this, they missed the Confederate defeat. His group did succeed in slowing down the Federal pursuit.
In 1865, Union soldiers took Jackman's family into custody. This was because of his actions during the war. First, they were held in St. Louis, Missouri. Later, they moved to Natchez, Mississippi, and finally to Alexandria, Louisiana. They were held there until the war ended.
On May 10, 1865, Jackman was promoted to brigadier general. This was done by Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, a Confederate commander. However, his promotion was never officially confirmed by the Confederate Congress.
After the War
When the Confederate States collapsed in 1865, Jackman and some of his men decided not to surrender. They headed for Mexico. Along the way, Jackman met his family again in Shreveport, Louisiana. They had been released. They continued toward Texas and the border. Near the end of 1865, they arrived in San Marcos, in Hays County, Texas.
Jackman went into northern Mexico. He left his family in Texas while he figured out if he wanted to live there. He decided against it. He then crossed back into the United States. He surrendered to Federal authorities in San Antonio. He was taken to New Orleans, Louisiana. There, he took an oath to be loyal to the U.S. Government. He was then allowed to go free.
In 1867, Jackman bought a ranch near Kyle, Texas. He settled his family there. He farmed and raised cattle. He and his wife helped start the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. He later became a trustee for the Blanco Chapel Free School. His first wife, Martha, died in 1870. In 1873, Jackman was elected as a representative to the Fourteenth Texas Legislature. This meant he helped make laws for Texas. Jackman remarried in 1875 to Cass (Kyle) Gains, who was a widow. They had two sons and two daughters together.
On March 17, 1885, Jackman was appointed the U.S. Marshal for western Texas. This was done by U.S. President Grover Cleveland. He held this job as a law enforcement officer until he died at his home in Kyle in June 1886. He is buried in the Kyle Cemetery in the town.
See also
